Long-term dynamics of Land Surface Temperature (LST) over Europe

Abstract

LST is recognized as one of the Essential Climate Variables by the World Meteorological Organization. It is a key parameter for climate models and a direct indicator of global warming. The Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) is the only sensor that has been providing spatially and temporally continuous daily measurements for 40 years. In the TIMELINE project, consistent LST products were developed from AVHRR over Europe [1,2]. However, the different overpass times and the orbital drift effect hide actual trends and anomalies in LST. In this study TIMELINE LST from NOAA 9, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18 and 19 for the years 1984-2017 over four regions in Western and Central Europe was analyzed. A physical daily temperature cycle (DTC) model was applied to normalize the LST to a consistent observation time and then monthly anomalies and a linear trend was calculated.